XXXIX.

Thus did Barlaam and Ioasaph dwell together, rivals in the good rivalry, apart from all anxious care and all the turmoils of life, possessing their minds undisturbed and clear of all confusion. After their many labours after godliness, one day Barlaam called to him his spiritual son, whom he had begotten through the Gospel, and opened his mouth to discourse of spiritual things, saying, "Long ago, dearly beloved Ioasaph, was it destined that you shouldest dwell in this wilderness; and, in answer to my prayer for you, Christ promised me that I should see it before the ending of my life. I have seen my desire: I have seen you severed from the world and the concerns of the world, united to Christ, your mind never wavering, and come to the measure of the perfection of his fulness. Now therefore as the time of my departure is at the door, and seeing that my desire, that has grown with my growth and aged with my years, to be for ever with Christ, is even now being fulfilled, you must bury my body in the earth and restore dust to dust, but thyself abide for the time to come in this place, holding fast to your spiritual life, and making remembrance of me, poor as I am. For I fear lest perchance the darksome army of fiends may stand in the way of my soul, by reason of the multitude of mine ignorances.

"So do you, my son, think no scorn of the laboriousness of your religious life, neither dread the length of the time, nor the tricks of devils. But, strong in the grace of Christ, confidently laugh at the weakness of these your foes; and, as for the hardness of your toils, and the long duration of the time, be as one that daily expecteth his departure hence, and as if the same day were the beginning and the end of your religious life. Thus, always forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, according to the exhortation of the holy Apostle, who says, 'Let us not faint; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

"Ponder you over these things, beloved: quit you like a man; yea, be strong; and, as a good soldier, do your diligence to please him who has called you to be a soldier. And, even if the evil one stir in you thoughts of neglecting duty, and you are minded to slacken the string of your purpose, fear not his devices, but remember the Lord's command, which says, 'In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' Wherefore, rejoice in the Lord alway; for he has chosen and separated you out of the world, and set you, as it were before his countenance. The Master, who has called you with a holy calling, is alway near. Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. For he himself has said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." So, by the hardness of your life, and by scorn of its rigours, win such thoughts as these, and rejoice, remembering our Lord God, for he says, 'I remembered God and was glad.'

"But when the adversary, seeking another fashion of war, proposeth high and arrogant thoughts, and suggesteth the glory of the kingdom of this world, which you hast forsaken, and all its lures, hold out, as a shield before you, the saving word that says, 'When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, "We are unprofitable servants, for we have done that which was our duty to do."' And, indeed, which of us is able to repay the debt that we owe our Master, for that he, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich, and, being without suffering, yet suffered, that we might be delivered from suffering? What thanks has the servant if he suffer like as his Master? But we fall far short of his sufferings. Meditate upon these things, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your heart and thoughts in Christ Jesus."

When blessed Barlaam had so said, Ioasaph's tears knew no measure, but, like water from the brimming fountain, bedewed him and the ground whereon he sat. He mourned over the parting, and earnestly implored that he might be his companion on his last journey, and might remain no longer in this world after Barlaam's decease, saying, "Wherefore, father, seekest you only your own, and not your neighbour's welfare? How fulfillest you perfect love in this, according to him that said, 'Thou shalt love your neighbour as thyself,' in departing thyself to rest and life, and leaving me to tribulation and distress? And, before I have been well exercised in the conflicts of the religious life, before I have learned the wily attacks of the enemy, why expose me to fight singlehanded against their marshalled host? And for what purpose but to see me overthrown by their mischievous machinations, and to see me die, alas! the true spiritual and eternal death? That is the fate which must befall inexperienced and cowardly monks. But, I beseech you, pray the Lord to take me also together with you from life. Yea, by the very hope that you hast of receiving the reward of your labour, pray that, after your departure, I may not live one day more in the world, nor wander into the ocean depths of this desert."

While Ioasaph spoke thus in tears, the old man cheeked him gently and calmly, saying, "Son, we ought not to resist the judgements of God, which are beyond our reach. For though I have oftentimes prayed concerning this matter, and constrained the Master, that cannot be constrained, not to part us one from the other, yet have I been taught by his goodness that it is not expedient for you now to lay aside the burden of the flesh: but you must remain behind in the practice of virtue, until the crown, which you are weaving, be more glorious. As yet, you hast not striven enough after the recompense in store for you, but must toil yet a little longer, that you mayest joyfully enter into the joy of your Lord. For myself, I am, as I reckon, well-nigh an hundred winters old, and have now spent seventy and five years in this desert place. But for you, even if your days be not so far lengthened as mine, yet must you approach thereto, as the Lord ordereth, that you mayest prove no unworthy match for them that have borne the burden and heat of the day. Therefore, beloved, gladly accept the decrees of God. What God has ordered, who, of men, can scatter? Endure, then, under the protection of his grace.

"But be you ever sober against thoughts other than these; and, like a right precious treasure, keep safely from robbers your purity of heart, stepping up day by day to higher work and contemplation, that that may be fulfilled in you, which the Saviour promised to his friends, when he said, 'If any man love me, he will keep my word: and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.'"

With these words, and many others, full worthy of that sanctified soul and inspired tongue, did the old man comfort Ioasaph's anguished soul. Then he sent him unto certain brethren, which abode a long way off, for to fetch the things fitting for the Holy Sacrifice. And Ioasaph girded up his loins, and with all speed fulfilled his errand: for he dreaded lest peradventure, in his absence, Barlaam might pay the debt of nature, and, yielding up the ghost to God, might inflict on him the loss of missing his departing words and utterances, his last orisons and blessings.

So when Ioasaph had manfully finished his long journey, and had brought the things required for the Holy Sacrifice, saintly Barlaam offered up to God the unbloody Sacrifice. When he had communicated himself, and also given to Ioasaph of the undefiled Mysteries of Christ, he rejoiced in the Spirit. And when they had taken together of their ordinary food, Barlaam again fed Ioasaph's soul with edifying words, saying, "Well-beloved son, no longer in this world shall we share one common hearth and board; for now I go my last journey, even the way of my fathers. Needs must you, therefore, prove your loving affection for me by your keeping of God's commandments, and by your continuance in this place even to the end, living as you hast learned and been instructed, and alway remembering my poor and slothful soul. Rejoice, therefore, with great joy, and make merry with the gladness that is in Christ, because you hast exchanged the earthly and corruptible for the eternal and incorruptible; and because there draws nigh the reward of your works, and your rewarder is already at hand, who shall come to see the vineyard which you hast dressed, and shall richly pay you the wages of your husbandry. 'Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation,' as proclaimed by Paul the divine, 'For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him in his eternal and everlasting kingdom, being illuminated with the light unapproachable, and guerdoned with the effulgence of the blessed and life-giving Trinity.'"

Thus until even-tide and all night long did Barlaam converse with Ioasaph, who wept tears that could not be stayed, and could not bear the parting. But just as day began to dawn, Barlaam ended his discourse, lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven, and offered his thanks to God, thus saying, "O Lord, my God, who art everywhere present, and fillest all things, I thank you, for that you hast looked upon my lowliness, and hast granted me to fulfil the course of this mine earthly pilgrimage in your true Faith, and in the way of your commandments. And now, you lover of good, all-merciful Master, receive me into your everlasting habitations; and remember not all the sins that I have committed against you, in knowledge or in ignorance. Defend also this your faithful servant, before whom you hast granted to me, your unprofitable servant, to stand. Deliver him from all vanity, and all despiteful treatment of the adversary, and set him clear of the many-meshed nets which the wicked one spreadeth abroad for to trip all them that would full fain be saved. Destroy, Almighty Lord, all the might of the deceiver from before the face of your servant, and grant him authority to trample on the baneful head of the enemy of our souls. Send down from on high the grace of your Holy Spirit; and strengthen him against the invisible hosts, that he may receive at your hands the crown of victory, and that in him your name may be glorified, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for to you belongs glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen."

Thus prayed he, and in fatherly wise embraced Ioasaph, and saluted him with an holy kiss. Then he sealed himself with the sign of the Cross, and gathered up his feet, and, with exceeding great joy, as at the home-coming of friends, departed on that blessed journey, to receive his reward yonder, an old man and full of days in the Spirit.

XXXIX

Οὕτως οὖν ἀλλήλοις συνόντες Βαρλαάμ τε καὶ Ἰωάσαφ, καὶ τὴν καλὴν ἅμιλλαν ἁμιλλώμενοι, ἐκτὸς πάσης μερίμνης καὶ πάσης βιωτικῆς ὄντες ταραχῆς, ἀνεπιθόλωτόν τε τὸν νοῦν κεκτημένοι καὶ ἀμιγῆ πάσης συγχύσεως, μετὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς δὲ αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας καμάτους, ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν πνευματικὸν υἱόν, ὃν διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐγέννησε, λόγου ἥπτετο καὶ ὁμιλίας πνευματικῆς, Πάλαι, λέγων, ὦ φίλτατε Ἰωάσαφ, ἐν ταύτῃ σε τῇ ἐρήμῳ κατοικεῖν ἔδει: καὶ τοῦτό μοι ὁ Χριστὸς προσευχομένῳ περὶ σοῦ ἐπηγγείλατο πρὸ τῆς τοῦ βίου τελευτῆς ὄψεσθαι. εἶδον οὖν ὡς ἐπεθύμουν: εἶδόν σε ἀπορραγέντα μὲν κόσμου καὶ τῶν ἐν κόσμῳ, συναφθέντα δὲ τῷ Χριστῷ ἀδιστάκτῳ τῇ γνώμῃ, καὶ εἰς μέτρον ἐλθόντα τελειότητος τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ. νῦν οὖν ἐπειδή μοι ὁ τῆς ἀναλύσεως καιρὸς ἐπὶ θύραις, καὶ ἡ σύντροφος καὶ ἡλικιῶτις ἐπιθυμία τοῦ συνεῖναι τῷ Χριστῷ διὰ παντὸς ἤδη πληροῦται, σὲ μὲν δεῖ καλῦψαί μου τὸ σῶμα τῇ γῇ καὶ τὸν χοῦν ἀποδοῦναι τῷ χοΐ, μεῖναι δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ ἐν τῷδε τῷ τόπῳ τῆς πνευματικῆς ἐχόμενον πολιτείας καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς μνείαν ποιούμενον μετριότητος. δέδοικα γὰρ μή ποτε ἡ ζοφερὰ τῶν δαιμόνων πληθὺς τῇ ψυχῇ μου ἐμποδὼν καταστῇ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐμῶν ἀγνοημάτων.

Σὺ οὖν, τέκνον, μὴ ὀλιγωρήσῃς τὸ ἐπίπονον τῆς ἀσκήσεως, μηδὲ δειλιάσῃς τὸ μῆκος τοῦ χρόνου καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς τῶν δαιμόνων: ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν τῆς ἀσθενείας, τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ῥωννύμενος χάριτι, τολμηρῶς καταγέλα, πρὸς δὲ τὴν σκληρότητα τῶν πόνων καὶ τὸ τοῦ χρόνου διάστημα οὕτως ἔσο, ὡς καθ' ἡμέραν τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀνάλυσιν προσδοκῶν, καὶ ὡς ἀρχὴν εἶναί σοι τῆς ἀσκήσεως τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τέλος. οὕτως ἀεὶ τῶν μὲν ὀπίσω ἐπιλανθανόμενος, πρὸς τοῖς δὲ ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος, κατασκοπῶν δίωκε τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, καθάπερ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος παρακελεύεται, Μὴ ἐκκακῶμεν, λέγων: ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, ἀλλ' ὁ ἔσω ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ: τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν, μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα: τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια.

Ταῦτα λογιζόμενος, ἀγαπητέ, ἀνδρίζου καὶ ἴσχυε, καὶ ὡς καλὸς στρατιώτης σπούδαζε τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσαι. κἂν λογισμούς σοι ὀλιγωρίας ὁ πονηρὸς φέρῃ καὶ τὸν τόνον ὑποχαλᾶν τῆς προθέσεως σπεύδῃ, μὴ φοβοῦ αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐπιβουλάς, τὸ Δεσποτικὸν ἐννοῶν πρόσταγμα, Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλῖψιν ἕξετε, λέγοντος: ἀλλὰ θαρσεῖτε: ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον. διὸ χαῖρε ἐν Κυρίῳ πάντοτε, ὅτι ἐξελέξατό σε καὶ διεχώρισεν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ ἔθετο ὡς ἐν προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ. αὐτὸς δέ, ὁ καλέσας σε κλήσει ἁγίᾳ, ἐγγύς ἐστιν ἀεί. μηδὲν μερίμνα: ἀλλ' ἐν παντὶ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ δεήσει μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τὰ αἰτήματά σου γνωριζέσθω πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν: Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ, οὐδ' οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω. οὕτως μὲν οὖν ἐν τῇ σκληρότητι τῆς ἀγωγῆς καὶ τῇ ὀλιγωρίᾳ τῆς ἀσκήσεως τοιούτους κτώμενος λογισμούς, εὐφραίνου, μεμνημένος Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν: Ἐμνήσθην γάρ, φησί, τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐφράνθην.

Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν ὁ ἐξ ἐναντίας ἄλλον σοι τρόπον ἐπινοῇ πολέμων, ὑψηλόφρονας προβάλλων λογισμούς, καὶ τὴν δόξαν ὑποδεικνύων τῆς τοῦ κόσμου βασιλείας ἧς κατέλιπες, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, τὸν σωτήριον προβαλοῦ λόγον, ὡς θυρεόν, τὸν φάσκοντα: Ὅταν ποιήσητε πάντα τὰ διαταχθέντα ὑμῖν, λέγετε, ὅτι Ἀχρεῖοι δοῦλοί ἐσμεν, ὅτι ὃ ὀφείλομεν ποιῆσαι πεποιήκαμεν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τίς ἐξ ἡμῶν δύναται τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἐκτῖσαι ἣν ὀφείλομεν τῷ Δεσπότῃ, ὑπὲρ ὧν δι' ἡμᾶς ἐπτώχευσε πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσωμεν, καὶ ἔπαθεν ὁ ἀπαθὴς ἵνα τῶν παθῶν ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃ; ποία γὰρ χάρις δούλῳ ὅμοια τῷ Δεσπότῃ παθεῖν; ἡμεῖς δὲ πολλὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ ὑστερούμεθα παθημάτων. ταῦτα ἐννόει, λογισμοὺς καθαίρων καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζων πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ: καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡ ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν, φρουρήσει τὴν καρδίαν καὶ τὰ νοήματά σου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

Τούτων ὑπὸ τοῦ μακαρίου Βαρλαὰμ λεχθέντων, ἡ ῥοὴ τῶν δακρύων τοῦ Ἰωάσαφ μέτρον οὐκ εἶχεν, ἀλλ', ὡς ἐκ πηγῆς πολυχεύμονος βρύουσα, ὅλον αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐν ᾗ ἐκάθητο κατέβρεχεν. ὀδυρόμενος δὲ τὸν χωρισμόν, ἠξίου μάλα θερμῶς συνοδοιπόρος αὐτῷ τῆς τελευταίας πορείας γενέσθαι, καὶ μηκέτι παραμεῖναι τῷ βίῳ μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου ἐκδημίαν, Διὰ τί, λέγων, τὸ σεαυτοῦ ζητεῖς μόνον, ὦ Πάτερ, καὶ μὴ καὶ τὸ τοῦ πλησίου; πῶς δὲ τὴν τελείαν ἐν τούτῳ πληροῖς ἀγάπην κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα, Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν μὲν καὶ ζωὴν αὐτὸς ἀπαίρων, εἰς θλῖψιν δὲ καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν ἐμὲ καταλιμπάνων, καί, πρὶν καλῶς ἐγγυμνασθῆναι τοῖς ἄθλοις τῆς ἀσκήσεως καὶ τῶν πολεμίων μαθεῖν τὰς πολυτρόπους ἐφόδους, πρὸς μονομαχίαν με τῆς αὐτῶν παρατάξεως προβαλλόμενος; ἱνατί γένηται ἄλλο, εἰ μὴ βληθῆναί με ταῖς κακοτρόποις αὐτῶν μηχαναῖς, καὶ ἀποθανεῖν οἴμοι τὸν ψυχικὸν ὄντως καὶ αἰώνιον θάνατον; ὅπερ τοῖς ἀπείροις καὶ δειλοῖς συμβαίνειν πέφυκε μοναχοῖς. ἀλλὰ δεήθητι τοῦ Κυρίου, δυσωπῶ, συνέκδημον κἀμὲ τοῦ βίου λαβεῖν. ναὶ πρὸς αὐτῆς τῆς ἐλπίδος ἧς ἔχεις ἀπολαβεῖν τοῦ καμάτου τὸν μισθόν, δεήθητι μηδεμίαν ἡμέραν μετὰ τὸν σὸν χωρισμὸν παροικεῖν τῷ βίῳ, καὶ εἰς τὸ πέλαγος ταύτης πλανᾶσθαι τῆς ἐρήμου.

Ταῦτα τοῦ Ἰωάσαφ σὺν δάκρυσι λέγοντος, ὁ γέρων πράως ἀνακόπτων καὶ ὁμαλῶς, Οὐκ ὀφείλομεν, τέκνον, ἔφη, τοῖς ἀνεφίκτοις κρίμασι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθίστασθαι. ἐγὼ γὰρ πολλὰ δεηθεὶς περὶ τούτου, καὶ τὸν ἀβίαστον Δεσπότην βιασάμενος τοῦ μὴ χωρισθῆναι ἡμᾶς ἀπ' ἀλλήλων, ἐδιδάχθην παρὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀγαθότητος ὡς οὐκ ἔστι συμφέρον σὲ νῦν τὸ ἄχθος τῆς σαρκὸς ἀποθέσθαι: ἀλλὰ παραμεῖναι δεῖ τῇ ἀσκήσει, ἕως λαμπρότερον ἑαυτῷ τὸν στέφανον πλέξῃς. οὐ γὰρ ἀρκούντως ἀκμὴν ἠγωνίσω πρὸς τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην σοι μισθαποδοσίαν: ἀλλὰ δεῖ σε κοπιάσαι μικρὸν ἵνα χαίρων εἰσέλθῃς εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ Κυρίου σου. ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐγγύς που τῶν ἑκατὸν λοιπόν εἰμι χρόνων, διατελέσας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ταύτῃ ἐνιαυτοὺς ἤδη πέντε καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα: σοὶ δέ, εἰ καὶ τοσοῦτον οὐκ ἐκταθήσεται ὁ χρόνος, ἀλλὰ πλησίον που γενέσθαι δεῖ, καθὼς κελεύει ὁ Κύριος, ἵν' ἐφάμιλλος ἀναδειχθῇς, καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως ὑστερούμενος τῶν βαστασάντων τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καύσωνα. δέχου τοίνυν, ὦ φιλότης, τὰ τῷ Θεῷ δεδογμένα ἀσμένως. ἃ γὰρ αὐτὸς βεβούλευται, τίς ἱκανὸς ἀνθρώπων διασκεδάσαι; καὶ καρτέρει τῇ ἐκείνου φυλαττόμενος χάριτι.

Νῆφε δὲ ἀεὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους λογισμούς, καὶ τὴν καθαρότητα τοῦ νοὸς ὥσπερ τινὰ θησαυρὸν πολύτιμον ἄσυλον διατήρει, πρὸς ὑψηλοτέραν ἐργασίαν καὶ θεωρίαν ἐμβιβάζων ἑαυτὸν ἡμέραν καθ' ἡμέραν, ἵνα πληρωθῇ ἐπὶ σοὶ ὃ τοῖς φίλοις αὐτοῦ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐπηγγείλατο, Ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με, λέγων, τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσει, καὶ ὁ Πατήρ μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτόν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα, καὶ μονὴν παρ' αὐτῷ ποιήσομεν.

Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ γέρων, καὶ πολλῷ πλείονα τῆς ἡγιασμένης αὐτοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ θεολόγου γλώττης ἐπάξια, τὴν ἀνιωμένην τοῦ Ἰωάσαφ ψυχὴν παρεμυθεῖτο. εἶτα πρός τινας ἐκπέμπει αὐτὸν ἀδελφούς, ἐκ πολλοῦ διαστήματος τὴν οἴκησιν ἔχοντας, τοῦ ἀγαγεῖν τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἱερὰν θυσίαν ἁρμόδια. καὶ δὴ ἀναζωσάμενος ὁ Ἰωάσαφ λίαν τάχιστα τὴν διακονίαν πληροῖ: ἐδεδίει γὰρ μή πως ἀπόντος αὐτοῦ τὴν ὀφειλὴν ὁ Βαρλαὰμ τῆς φύσεως ἀποδῷ, καί, τὸ πνεῦμα παραθεὶς τῷ Κυρίῳ, ζημίαν αὐτῷ τὴν χαλεπὴν ἐπενέγκοι, μὴ ῥημάτων, μὴ προσφθεγμάτων ἐξοδίων, μὴ εὐχῶν, μὴ εὐλογιῶν τῶν ἐκείνου τυγχάνοντι.

Οὕτω δὲ ἀνδρικώτατα διελθόντος αὐτοῦ τὴν μακρὰν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην καὶ τὰ τῆς ἱερᾶς θυσίας ἐνεγκόντος, προσφέρει τῷ Θεῷ τὴν ἀναίμακτον θυσίαν ὁ θειότατος Βαρλαάμ. καὶ κοινωνήσας αὐτός, μεταδοὺς δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἰωάσαφ τῶν ἀχράντων τοῦ Χριστοῦ μυστηρίων, ἠγαλλιάσατο τῷ Πνεύματι. καὶ τῆς συνήθους μεταλαβόντες τροφῆς, ψυχωφελέσι λόγοις τὴν ψυχὴν αὖθις ἔτρεφε τοῦ Ἰωάσαφ, Οὐκ ἔτι, λέγων, ἡμᾶς, ὦ φίλτατε υἱέ, συναγάγῃ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ εἰς ἓν ἑστία καὶ τράπεζα: πορεύομαι γὰρ ἤδη τὴν τελευταίαν ὁδὸν τῶν πατέρων μου. χρὴ οὖν σε τὸ πρὸς ἐμὲ φίλτρον διὰ τῆς φυλακῆς τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐν τῷδε τῷ τόπῳ μέχρι τέλους καρτερίας, ἐπιδείξασθαι, πολιτευόμενος καθὼς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐδιδάχθης, καὶ μεμνημένος διὰ παντὸς τῆς ταπεινῆς καὶ ῥᾳθύμου μου ψυχῆς. χαρᾷ οὖν χαῖρε, καὶ τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγαλλιάσει εὐφραίνου, ὅτι τῶν ἐπιγείων καὶ φθαρτῶν ἀντηλλάξω τὰ αἰώνιά τε καὶ ἄφθαρτα, καὶ ὅτι ἐγγίζει ὁ μισθὸς τῶν ἔργων σου, καὶ ὁ μισθαποδότης ἤδη πάρεστιν, ὃς ἥξει τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἰδεῖν ὃν ἐγεώργησας καὶ πλουσίως σοι τὸν μισθὸν τῆς γεωργίας παρέξει. Πιστὸς γὰρ ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, καθὼς ὁ θεσπέσιος βοᾷ Παῦλος: Εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν, καὶ συζήσομεν: εἰ ὑπομένομεν, καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν βασιλείαν τὴν αἰώνιον καὶ ἀτελεύτητον, τῷ φωτὶ καταλαμπόμενοι τῷ ἀπροσίτῳ, καὶ τῆς ἐλλάμψεως καταξιούμενοι τῆς μακαρίας ὄντως καὶ ζωαρχικῆς Τριάδος.

Τοιαῦτα μὲν ὁ Βαρλαὰμ ἕως ἑσπέρας καὶ παρ' ὅλην τὴν νύκτα τῷ Ἰωάσαφ ὡμίλει, ἀκατασχέτοις δάκρυσιν ὀδυρομένῳ καὶ τὸν χωρισμὸν μὴ φέροντι. ἄρτι δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας διαφαυούσης, τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμιλίαν διαπεράνας, ἦρεν εἰς οὐρανὸν χεῖράς τε καὶ ὄμματα, καὶ εὐχαριστίαν ἀναπέμψας τῷ Θεῷ, ἔφη.

Κύριε, ὁ Θεός μου, ὁ πανταχοῦ παρὼν καὶ τὰ πάντα πληρῶν, εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὅτι ἐπεῖδες τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου καὶ ἐν τῇ ὀρθοδόξῳ σου ὁμολογίᾳ καὶ ἐν ὁδῷ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου ἠξίωσας τὸν δρόμον τελέσαι με τῆς ἐνθάδε παροικίας μου. καὶ νῦν, φιλάγαθε Δέσποτα καὶ πανοικτίρμον, δέξαι με εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους σου σκηνάς, καὶ μὴ μνησθῇς ὅσα σοι ἥμαρτον ἐν γνώσει τε καὶ ἀγνοίᾳ. φύλαξον δὲ καὶ τὸν πιστόν σου δοῦλον τοῦτον, οὗπερ προστῆναί με τὸν ἀχρεῖόν σου ἠξίωσας οἰκέτην: ῥῦσαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ πάσης ματαιότητος καὶ ἐπηρείας τοῦ ἀντικειμένου, καὶ ὑψηλότερον αὐτὸν ποίησον τῶν πολυπλόκων παγίδων, ὧν εἰς σκάνδαλον ἥπλωσεν ὁ πονηρὸς πάντων τῶν θελόντων σωθῆναι. ἀφάνισον, παντοδύναμε, πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἀπατεῶνος ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ δούλου σου, καὶ δὸς αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν τὴν ὀλεθροτόκον κάραν τοῦ πολεμίου τῶν ἡμετέρων ψυχῶν. κατάπεμψον ἐξ ὕψους τὴν χάριν τοῦ Ἁγίου σου Πνεύματος. καὶ ἐνίσχυσον αὐτὸν πρὸς τὰς ἀοράτους παρατάξεις, ἵνα τὸν τῆς νίκης ἀξιωθῇ παρὰ σοῦ στέφανον δέξασθαι, καὶ δοξασθῇ ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομά σου, τοῦ Πατρός, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὅτι σοὶ πρέπει δόξα καὶ αἴνεσις εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν.

Ταῦτα εὐξάμενος, καὶ τὸν Ἰωάσαφ πατρικῶς περιπτυξάμενος, καὶ ἀσπασμὸν αὐτῷ δοὺς ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ, τῷ τύπῳ τε τοῦ σταυροῦ ἑαυτὸν ἐπισφραγισάμενος, καὶ τοὺς πόδας ἐξάρας, καὶ λίαν περιχαρὴς γενόμενος, ὥσπερ τινῶν ἐπιδημησάντων φίλων, πρὸς τὴν μακαρίαν ἀπῆλθε πορείαν, πρὸς τὴν ἐκεῖθεν διελθὼν γεροδοσίαν, πρεσβύτης ὢν καὶ πλήρης ἡμερῶν τῶν τοῦ πνεύματος.